The Lotus Sūtra 5.20

5.20

「文殊師利！如轉輪王，見諸兵眾有大功者，心甚歡喜，以此難信之珠，久在髻中不妄與人，而今與之。如來亦復如是，於三界中為大法王，以法教化一切眾生。見賢聖軍，與五陰魔、煩惱魔、死魔共戰，有大功勳，滅三毒，出三界，破魔網，爾時如來亦大歡喜。此法華經，能令眾生至一切智，一切世間多怨難信，先所未說而今說之。文殊師利！此法華經，是諸如來第一之說，於諸說中最為甚深，末後賜與，如彼強力之王久護明珠，今乃與之。文殊師利！此法華經，諸佛如來祕密之藏，於諸經中最在其上，長夜守護不妄宣說，始於今日乃與汝等而敷演之。」

"Mañjuśrī, just as the wheel-turning king, seeing those among his troops who have achieved great merit, is exceedingly rejoiced, and now gives them this hard-to-believe pearl that had long been kept in his topknot and not recklessly given to anyone, the Tathāgata is also like this: he is the Great Dharma King in the three realms, teaching and transforming all sentient beings through the Dharma. Seeing the army of the wise and holy, fighting against the māra of the five skandhas, the māra of defilements, and the māra of death, achieving great merit, extinguishing the three poisons, escaping the three realms, and breaking the nets of Māra, the Tathāgata is then also greatly rejoiced. This Lotus Sūtra can lead sentient beings to all-knowledge, yet all the world has much resentment against it and finds it hard to believe; what has never been preached before, he now preaches. Mañjuśrī, this Lotus Sūtra is the foremost teaching of the Tathāgatas, the most profound among all teachings, bestowed only at the very end—just as that powerful king, having long guarded the bright pearl, now finally bestows it. Mañjuśrī, this Lotus Sūtra is the secret storehouse of the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, supreme among all sūtras; guarded throughout the long night and not recklessly proclaimed, only today do I expound it for you all."